Nails
by Animerulzs1267
Summary: Alice had known for most of her life that Amelia bites her nails, but she doesn't know the truth about why she does it so constantly. Amelia is nervous, but what is she nervous about? Nyo!USUK, Rated T.


"Good morning, Amelia," Alice greeted politely.

"What up, Al?" Amelia waved a free hand as she sat down, picking her legs up and relaxed.

"Must you call me that?" Alice asked, her tone slightly annoyed.

Amelia glanced at her, thumb nail between her teeth, and shrugged. Alice glared unhappily at her, not just because of that infuriating short nickname she had been calling her for a while, but the constant obscene nail biting she had been getting into. Amelia isn't a lady but she should act proper when it comes to her features, especially her nails! Alice turned her heated gaze up at the board that showed today's topic for the conference: food shortages.

It would be anther twenty minutes until the rest of the board members come, but Alice always wanted to be punctual as usual. It was not to gloat, that was for certain! She just so happened to appreciate being on time. Alice and Amelia were seated across each other on the large white table; Alice's right eyebrow twitched because of the girl's nails bitten to the brim. How could she allow this? Hating to admit it, her hands are lovely and seem delicate despite her bruiting attitude and using them for constructing whatever she makes. Alice knew she was making something because her hands were calloused from fingertip to palm. Had she never used hand moisturizer in her life?

Amelia knew Alice was looking at her with her furious look but she kept her focus on the papers she pretended reading with interest. Amelia couldn't help her nail biting habit, it had been going on since she started working on her new project. Alice's birthday was coming up so she had been wanting to make their relationship from acquaintances to friends, but deep down the pressure from both the work and her undeniably obvious crush on the British jerk made it frustrating for Amelia to stay cool.

The conference room was too quiet; their breathing and Amelia's nails being chipped and bitten off was audible and annoying.

"So we're talking about food?" Amelia asked, uncomfortable being in this silence together.

Alice blinked out of her trance from Amelia's small lips, "Huh...? Oh, yes, we are. Feli said her country is going to need..."

Alice read out the list of what each member wanted, but Amelia was relieved that her focus was on that instead of her. Amelia looked at her fingernails and saw how visibly chewed up and nasty they looked. Her nails were chewed until the white bits she couldn't remember the name were gone, her skin had flesh pieces peeled slightly and there was dried blood from her recent skin nibbling.

Unbeknownst to Amelia, Alice caught her dreaming in her daze while chewing another fingernail. Alice's eyebrow twitched once more, but her features scrunched up in irritation.

"Amelia, are you listening?" Alice snapped.

Amelia blinked from the sound of Alice's voice, "Huh?"

"Have you been listening?"

"Um...no?" Amelia answered honestly. _Shit, why did I say that? I better prepare for that ass-dreading lecture now..._

 _The nerve of her,_ Alice thought with discontent, _but something is bugging her_. _Even I can see it._

She cleared her voice and asked out of concern, "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just..." Amelia's eyes were scanning all over, refusing to meet Alice's. She glanced down to her hands and saw her red, bitten fingernails, "My nails," she answered meekly.

"You noticed them now?" Alice asked, her tone sarcastic despite her initial worry.

"I've been biting my nails for a while. I only do it when I'm nervous." Amelia explained as she twiddled her thumbs in circles. Besides the fear of ridicule, she found it comforting to speak with Alice...much to her shock.

"You...were nervous?" Alice questioned further.

"Yeah..." Amelia caught sight of Alice's disbelief, "what, you don't think I get nervous? Because I do, I overthink things and make myself freak out for no reason or with a reason. I used to bit the ends of my hair but then chewed my nails to calm myself down but now, look at them!"

"Yes, I see them and I am disgusted in how you treat them. Come here, right now." Alice waved her hand for Amelia beside the chair beside her.

"Why?" Although Amelia knew Alice was, or seemed, worried, she had a hard time believing she wasn't going to pull something on her.

Alice sent her an icy glare. That was enough to make Amelia come to her obediently with her hands close to her sides, tightened in fists like she was going to fight. However, Alice snipped at her to sit beside her, took her right hand with gentle ease and examined the damage. When Amelia heard the dissatisfied click of her tongue it could only mean she wasn't pleased. Alice released her hand, though neither wanted the touch to break, and she searched for her pouches.

Amelia saw the small beige bag, it was fancy with its fancy patterns and fancy-smashy stuff, but she was curious as to why when Alice opened it it had nail polish bottles, files and cotton sponges.

"What's this?" Amelia asked as Alice eased her hand to flatten it on the table.

"Special nail care I carry whenever the time may need it," Alice began with the file, she took great care in filing the edges but was hesitating when Amelia squirmed in her chair. Alice snapped at her twice to keep still and Amelia resorted to biting her bottom lip, her face expressing enormous amount of pain as Alice prepared the next hand on the table.

"Alice Kirkland, you take makeup bags and nail stuff with you?" Amelia laughed in a delightful sense. This was out of character for her, that was for sure, but she thought saying it out loud would lessen the hideously obvious tension between them.

Alice refused admitting she only brought them with her because of Amelia's nails. There was no need to mention it, she just so happened to be carrying it for any opportunity-or rather emergency.

Her nails were painted with the clear polish and after blowing them gently, much to Amelia's bashfulness, Alice said that should fix her nails. Amelia looked at them and was amazed of how nicely done they were compared to how it was last time. Without meaning it, Amelia took her thumb up to her lips and bit the tip of her nail only to gag at the taste-it was horrible!

"That should keep you from biting them," Alice said she busied herself putting away her products away.

Now with her nails done, Amelia felt relief that her biting days were over if she pursued asking Alice to do this every now and again. Without thinking, Amelia took out from her bomber jacket Alice's present. When Alice saw the toy, she glanced up to Amelia's hopeful eyes in confusion.

"What's that?"

"A gift, for you," Amelia stammered, biting her bottom lip out of shyness.

"You were making something for me?" Alice took the gift out of her palm, examining it like it was a gem.

"Yeah, this wooden doll...it was meant for your birthday but I kept working on perfecting it so much that...uh, it got tiny." Amelia hated to admit it, but when she first started working on it it was large enough for her bedside stand but because of the stress and overthinking of it, she ended up making it so small that it was enough to fit Alice's hand or could be stashed into her pocket.

"Still, it's remarkable! Thank you so much, Ammy."

"Oh, now you don't think nicknames are bad?" Amelia literally stepped on her foot and held back a shriek.

"Well...I don't mind if it is from you." Alice said quietly.

"What was that?" Amelia had heard what she said, but she hoped to hear it again.

Alice caught sight of Amelia's restrained grin and with a blush of red upon her cheeks, she snapped, "Nothing..."


End file.
